17 September 2009 – holiday preparations

Commando managed to get the heating working again today. Isn’t he a clever thing? Ok so it’s summer, we don’t actually need the heating right now but it is one less thing to worry about. At the beginning of the week there seemed to be so many problems. So many things to get worked up about I couldn’t even begin to think about our weekend break to Barcelona. There was Mini Commando’s infection, an interview and, of course the boiler but, one by one they have been sorted.

I was supposed to have a driving lesson today but I cancelled it because I really need to get my washing and packing sorted out. In time honoured tradition, Commando’s case has been packed for months. It’s a bit of a joke in our house that Commando will start packing the day after he books a holiday, while I leave everything to the last minute. It’s also a constant source of annoyance to him and he’s been nagging me for weeks now.

So, as soon as I got in from work I got the first load of washing on and, while it was churning away I dug my toiletries bag out of the bathroom cupboard. Because of all the trips I used to take when I worked at Dream Factory I always had a bag full of mini shampoo, body wash and make up ready to go at a moments notice. Of course I did have to check everything was full up and nothing had gone off but it didn’t take very long.

Choosing clothes to take with me was not as easy as I’d thought. Half the stuff I wanted to take was too small (boo) and the other half too big. There may not have been any packing going on, well not on my part anyway, but I have bought a few items of clothing on eBay in preparation. The problem being I’ve been a little over optimistic about my weight loss capabilities in some instances, hence the too small things, and a little under optimistic in others, this is why some things are now too big. Eventually I did manage to cobble together enough outfits for four days, get them all washed, ironed and packed, along with a few paperbacks.

Paperbacks are another bone of contention in our house. I love to read and I buy masses of cheap books, which I don’t really like to throw away. Commando says they clutter the house up and is always sneakily taking them to the charity shop when I’m not looking, sometimes before I’ve read them! This tends to cause rows. He also can’t understand why I need four paperbacks in my case for a long weekend break and starts going on about luggage allowances. Really, anyone knows one book a day is the standard number required for a holiday, with possibly one extra just in case one of the others turns out to be rubbish. He is such a philistine.

The one little worry still lurking on the horizon is the job situation. Actually it isn’t such a little worry but I’m trying hard not to think about it too much. The Mad House haven’t phoned. I was really hoping they would, even though I don’t really want to work there, because at least I would have a job and some money coming in. The maths thing keeps popping into my head and the words “are you sure that’s right?” How could I have made such a stupid mistake? I’m pretty sure it’s cost me the job.